In the week ending August 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 332,000. The 4-week moving average was 328,500, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 331,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending August 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 24 was 2,951,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,994,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,979,500, a decrease of 18,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,997,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 268,843 in the week ending August 31, a decrease of 9,781 from the previous week. There were 309,537 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending August 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,749,880, a decrease of 76,868 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,826,748. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,085,324.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending August 17 was 4,395,712, a decrease of 72,061 from the previous week. There were 5,470,041 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending August 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,249 in the week ending August 24, an increase of 145 from the prior week. There were 2,303 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 139 from the preceding week.

There were 20,831 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending August 17, a decrease of 252 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 33,754, a decrease of 24 from the prior week.

States reported 1,494,742 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending August 17, a decrease of 16,877 from the prior week. There were 2,263,614 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 24 were in New York (+3,568), Georgia (+903), Connecticut (+604), Michigan (+546), and Nevada (+388), while the largest decreases were in California (-2,544), Missouri (-1,713), Kansas (-915), Texas (-754), and New Jersey (-658).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Aug. 31

Aug. 24

Change

Aug. 17

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

323,000

332,000

-9,000

337,000

368,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

268,843

278,624

-9,781

280,318

309,537

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

328,500

331,500

-3,000

330,500

371,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Aug. 24

Aug. 17

Change

Aug. 10

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

2,951,000

2,994,000

-43,000

3,003,000

3,314,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

2,749,880

2,826,748

-76,868

2,880,077

3,085,324

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

2,979,500

2,997,500

-18,000

2,986,750

3,311,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.3%

2.3%

0.0

2.3%

2.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.1%

2.2%

-0.1

2.2%

2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 24

Aug. 17

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,249

1,104

+145

1,228

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,303

2,164

+139

2,665

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Aug. 17

Aug. 10

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

2,821,674

2,873,743

-52,069

3,108,257

Federal Employees (UCFE)

20,831

21,083

-252

17,097

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

33,754

33,778

-24

38,941

EUC 20083

1,494,742

1,511,619

-16,877

2,263,614

Extended Benefits4

239

307

-68

3,296

State Additional Benefits 5

3,923

4,005

-82

5,896

STC / Workshare 6

20,549

23,238

-2,689

32,940

TOTAL

4,395,712

4,467,773

-72,061

5,470,041

FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data, NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 129,827,178 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate,
and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED AUGUST 24, 2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-2,544

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

MO

-1,713

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing and construction industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

+3,568

Layoffs in the transportation, educational services, and health care and social assistance industries.

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